Setting timers for lights

Discussion in 'Reef Lighting' started by slowwrx137, Aug 21, 2009.

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  1. slowwrx137

    slowwrx137 Plankton

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    17
    I'm acumulating all of the equipment needed to setup my puffer tank and bought the SunDial T5HO light from Current USA. It has 2 10,000k daylight bulbs, 2 460Nm actinic bulbs, 4 led lunar lights, and timers to control the lighting. I'm assuming I just set the timers and the lighting runs 24 hours a day. My question is how long do each of these lights need to run for a porcupine puffer and for the live rock?
     
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  3. ReefSparky

    ReefSparky Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2007
    Messages:
    3,675
    Location:
    South Florida
    First off, Welcome To 3reef!! It's nice to have you.

    Most folks set their lights to simulate nature. It's really up to you, but the general practice is to have actinics come on the earliest (say for example at 9am), then the daylight bulbs come on around noontime (or an hour or so earlier if you like), the daylights usually run about 8 hours, and the actinics go off about 12 hours after they came on. If you wish, have your moonlights come on when everything else is off, and have them shut off when the actinics come back on in the morning.

    None of this is written in stone, but living things like it when nature coincides with their circadian rhythm. The more natural, IMO, the better.

    Have fun here!